Ice and Lightning
by Inuyuke
Summary: AU; sequel to "The Facility". Danny starts community college with Sam, but his powers start to dangerously branch out, especially with a new, ghost-hating friend in the picture. DannyxSam, TuckerxOC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Here you go, guys! The beginning of the second arc of this story! Yay! So, at one point Sam mentions that it's 68 degrees out. That's in Fahrenheit, and in Celsius, that'd be about 20. Which were I live is the peeerfect temperature. Hah, sorry if I confuse some of you. I'm not good with Fahrenheit...

anyway! On with the story!

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><p>Danny snorted, wincing as harsh cola flew out of his nose and burned the sensitive skin inside. He blushed deeply as he reached over and grabbed a towel to mop up his face and desk. "You <em>did<em>?" he asked in shock, looking at Sam who was also in the video conversation.

Samantha 'Sam' Manson looked just as shocked as Danny. Their friend Tucker had been at college for almost two months, and he had just broken the news to the two of them that he had gotten a _girlfriend._

Tucker frowned at them, crossing his arms and feigning hurt. "_How is that so hard to believe?"_ Tucker's voice asked through the speakers.

"_Because you're 'Foley Charm' as you call it, isn't exactly… charming."_ Sam replied bluntly.

"What did you say to get a girl to actually _listen_ to you?" Danny asked.

"_I just used the ol' Foley Charm that Sam just put down."_ Tucker said with a glare at Sam's section of the screen, "_Told her my name was Tucker Foley- that's T.F. for Too Fine. She started to laugh._ _**Laugh!**__ She said that I was too funny for my own good. Then we started talking, and I asked her out for supper… and well, yeah. I suddenly find myself with a girlfriend."_

Danny shook his head with a smile. "Tucker, you're one surprise after another." He stated, running his hand through his hair.

"_Hey man- you didn't expect me to just sit around and twiddle my thumbs while you and Sam hit it up, do you?"_

Danny's jaw dropped and as Sam blushed a bright red. _"There's nothing going on with us!"_ Sam defended herself.

"_Oh come ON!"_ Tucker threw his hands up into the air. _"All summer you guys were shooting love struck glances at each other. I'm surprised you two never did anything about it. You __**both**__ must be clueless."_

"_Shove it Tuck."_ Sam warned, _"Or else you're in for a __**world **__of pain when you come for a visit."_

Tucker held up his hands in submission. "_Okay, okay, I'll cool it." _He relented, and then muttered "_For now. I have to go anyway." _He added louder, "_I'm taking my girlfriend to the local sub joint."_

"_Alright, Tucker."_ Sam said, cracking her knuckles and giving him a threatening look. _"Be nice to her, you don't want to scare off the __**only**__ girl who likes you likes you, do you?"_

Tucker rolled his eyes before waving and closing his side of the conversation, leaving Danny and Sam in an uncomfortable silence. "So um…" Danny began, rubbing the back of his neck. "…About what Tucker said…"

Sam scoffed, her face starting to blush up again. _"Yeah, he's just full of hot air, Danny, don't listen to him."_

Danny's heart sank, but he smiled at Sam anyway, "Yeah, you're right. It's late." Danny noted, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Sam smiled and waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow."

Danny lowered the laptop's screen and let it close, sending it into hibernation. "…Just hot air…"

Danny dragged himself off of his computer and into his bed, his heart and mind heavy. When he was close to his bed, he shivered with a sudden chill. "Stupid fall temperatures…" Danny muttered to himself, going over to his window to close it, seeing that it was already closed. Danny huffed and pulled a comforter out of his closet to throw on his bed.

Danny cocooned himself in his blankets; small shivers making his body quake every so often even under all of the blankets.

Though Danny didn't see it, outside of his window a pair of red eyes appeared for a moment before closing and vanishing into the night.

Danny tossed on a windbreaker jacket the next morning, with a piece of bread stuffed into his mouth. He tried yelling at his mom that he was off to school through the bread in his mouth, but was unsuccessful.

Taking it out, he yelled down the basement stares, "I'm off, mom!"

"Have a great day sweetums!" Maddies voice rose from the basement.

Danny took one last look down the stairs and shuddered. He knew what was down there.

Danny hadn't been raised in the Fenton house. He had spent his first eighteen years being raised and trained in a building hidden in the forest on the edge of town- the Amity Park Research Facility.

Danny had been injected with a formula his father had made. One that was supposed to fill it's victim with ghost like energy and powers. His parent's bosses had decided to test it on Orphan Danny. They injected it into him, and then gave him to Jack and Madeline Fenton.

At the age of eighteen, Danny's powers had finally began to manifest, and he was forced into harsh training sessions, causing him, at some points, to lose consciousness.

Samantha Manson, the daughter of one of his father's bosses, had introduced him to Tucker Foley, and together, the three of them had escaped from the awful place, only for Danny to have to return to save his parent's lives.

When he had gone back, he had found that Vlad Masters, his father's main boss and beneficiary of the whole project, had injected himself with the same serum that Danny had in him, thus gaining the same, if not more, of the powers that Danny had been slowly learning to control.

Danny was able to capture Vlad in an invention his parents had dubbed the _Fenton Thermos, _which was now securely locked up in their lab.

Danny shuddered again as he thought of his parents lab- an exact duplicate of their lab at the facility, if not a little larger. Danny had always hated going there, and going down into his basement was no exception. He had only been down there once since moving into the Fenton Works building, and swore he'd never go back.

Danny turned and ran out of the house, scared he was going to be late for class. It was a big lab experiment today, and he couldn't miss it.

"Hey, doofus!" Sam stood outside Danny's house, as usual waiting for him. "What took you so long, man? I've been waiting for ten minutes!"

Danny smiled sheepishly and ducked his head a little. "Sorry." He apologized as they quickly walked down the street. "I had a hard time deciding what jacket I should bring."

"Jacket?" Sam echoed, looking at him, and then at herself. She was dressed how she was always dressed. Her hair was up in a partial pony tail, her almost sleeveless black shirt with the purple dot on the chest, and her skirt covering black leggings, with leather boots to wrap it all up.

"Dude, you don't need a jacket today, it's like, 68 degrees out here man!"

Danny zipped up the windbreaker that was covering his red and white t-shirt, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'm cold, okay?" he asked sarcastically. "It started up last night. I think I'm getting a cold or something."

Sam rolled her eyes. "You boys are such wimps." She said, smiling at her friend as they walked up the stairs to the college. "Complaining about the littlest things."

"Hey!" Danny protested, "We do not!"

"There he goes again!" Sam said, raising her arms in the air while rolling her eyes, "Complaining!" she stopped walking in front of the locker the two of them shared and entered the combination. "So," she started, changing the conversation, "What are you up to in class today?"

"I've got a really big lab today." Danny said, throwing in his bag and taking out the books he would need for his first class. "If I don't pass this, I flunk the class- no matter what I got on the previous labs, or future ones."

"Like a midterm, then." Sam said, checking herself out in the small mirror magnetized to the inside of the locker door and making sure her make-up was _just so_. It wouldn't do to have her make up smudged everywhere; she was a _Goth_ for crying out loud.

She noticed Danny roll his eyes behind her at her obsessive make up fixing. "Yeah, I think that's what she called it." He said, folding his arms over his chest. "Apparently we're going to be partnered up. Guy to girl, at least that's what she said."

He was watching Sam's reaction carefully, and when her hand jerked just the slightest as she was reapplying her mascara he smirked. "Jealous?"

"No!" Sam quickly said, turning to face him. "Why would I be? It's not like we're an _item_ or anything, despite what _Tucker_ thinks."

Danny let out a laugh and Sam found herself wanting to bury her face in his chest and tell him how she really felt, but she didn't.

Danny shook his head all the while smiling at Sam. "I'll see you at break," Danny said with a wave as he ran off to class. The two of them had made their schedules up so that they shared most of their breaks.

Danny jogged into the class, almost getting in late. The teacher, Ms. Ardelle turned to him. "Mr. Fenton, so nice of you to join us." She said almost sarcastically. "Now hurry up, you don't want to keep your lab partner waiting." The teacher pointed to a station where there was a young woman sitting alone, her back was to Danny, and she was chatting with the pair behind her.

Danny walked over to her, "Uh, hi. My name's Danny."

The girl turned and smiled to him, she was dark-skinned, but lighter than Tucker was, and her green eyes sparkled with kindness. "I know, we've been in the same class for almost three months." She laughed, and her laughter reminded Danny of his mother- it was gentile and kind. "But since you and I have never worked with each other, introductions are nice." She smiled at him, holding out a hand.

"I'm Valerie. Valerie Gray."

Danny smiled and shook her hand, "Pleased to meet you. Now, what's the lab?"

Valerie looked down at their station, "Looks like we're using salicylic acid and acetic anhydride."

"Oh! To do what?" Danny asked, pulling on his lap coat and putting on a pair of goggles.

"It appears like we're making aspirin." Valerie said, bringing out her notebook. "I've premeasured out the ingredients… how about you add them together, and I'll take notes on the reactions and times?"

"Sure," Danny said, taking the beakers and setting up. "Sorry you had to do that on your own. I didn't mean to be late."

"Don't worry about it, Danny." Valerie said, scribbling out the initial preparatory work notes.

Danny smiled at her, "Ready, Val?" he asked, holding up the acid.

"Ready- go ahead." She peeked over the edge of her notebook to watch Danny set up the experiment.

Danny carefully poured the two chemicals together, doing it slowly so that Val could take down notes. After simmering for a few moments the reaction calmed down and seemed to harden into a solid mass.

Ms. Ardelle wandered over, looking down at the lab through her glasses and nodded, "Well done you two." She said, wandering off to look over other lab stations. Val finished her notes and handed them to Danny to copy down.

Once Danny had finished writing down Val's notes, most of the class had finished their experiments. There was one mishap where the chemicals generated so much heat the beaker broke.

Class was over soon after that, the teacher staying behind with the team whose experiment had broken. Danny and Val walked out together, "So what class do you have next?" Danny asked shyly, putting his hand behind his neck.

"Oh, I'm on break for the next two hours." Val said, clutching her lab books to her chest.

"Really? Oh, well, I have the next hour off… I'm meeting a friend outside under the oak tree- you want to come with?"

Valerie watched Danny out of the corner of her eye as they walked to Danny's locker. While he was putting his stuff in it, she tossed her books in her back pack. "I think that'd be fun." Val smiled, "But I have a test in my next class and I really should go to the library and study."

Danny couldn't help the disappointed look that adorned his face. "Oh, alright. Well… I'll see you next time?"

Val nodded and gave Danny a hug. "Yep, next time." She winked at him before wandering off.

Danny stared after her for a few seconds before shaking his head. He was very confused. He picked up what he would need for his next class, before closing the locker and making his way over to his meeting place with Sam.

Sam was sitting there waiting for him, reading a book on the supernatural. She'd been doing that a lot lately. Danny plopped down next to her, zipping up his windbreaker against the cold he felt. Sam grunted a greeting, flipping the page she was reading.

Danny sat crossed legged, looking up at the branches of the trees, and through that, the sky above which was starting to clog up with clouds. He couldn't stop thinking about Valerie.

"Well?"

Danny blinked and looked at Sam, she had one of her eye brows raised in question as she watched him. He realised that she had just asked him a question, and he'd been too lost in thought over Valerie to notice. "S-sorry. What did you say?"

"I _said_, how did your lab go?"

"Oh. It went fine." Danny picked at the grass near his feet, avoiding her gaze.

"_Just_ fine?" Sam asked, putting her book mark in her book and looking at him full on.

"Yeah. Valerie and I made some aspirin, and the teacher seemed to like it. I don't know. Just … fine, I guess. It didn't go wrong."

"Valerie? _Who_ is Valerie?"

Danny looked at her. "She was my lab partner," he explained, "Why? Jealous?"

Sam rolled her eyes, popping open her book again and burying her nose in it. "No. Just curious." She lied.

Danny watched her for a moment after she started to ignore him before shrugging. "Sam, if you're worried I'm going to stop talking to you, you should know that'll never happen."

"Ugh what is your _problem_ Danny?" Sam asked, slamming the book shut. "I don't _care_ what you do. You want to hang out with Valerie, you hang out with Valerie, there's not much I can do to stop you."

Danny blinked at her, his eyes opening wide. "Woah, calm down Sam." Danny said, shrinking away from her. "I'm sorry."

"You are _such_ a doofus." Sam said quietly, looking at the grass and picking up an acorn. "Go do what you want." She pretended to be immersed in her acorn as Danny sat silently beside her.

After the silence dragged on for what seemed like forever, Sam finally broke it. "…why aren't you going anywhere?" Sam whispered, Danny thought could hear unshed tears clinging to her voice. He swallowed quietly and didn't answer.

"Danny-." Sam began then looked up at him. All traces of her emotional state were now gone as she watched him. "Seriously, dude, why are you still here? Your class is starting."

Danny yelped and got up. "I'll see you later, Sam!" he shouted running off into the building. She smiled after him, but it faded fast. She was worried about this _Valerie_ character. She'd have to talk to Tucker about it later.

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><p><strong>AN**: Alright, so there it is. XD' I might update again on Monday if I'm feeling generous. :P Else you'll have to wait for next Friday.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** You guys are soooo lucky I'm making tea right now. Cause if I wasn't, I wouldn't have updated this. I am **so** exhausted and ugh. This is a special update because **Icedragon** really really wanted it. XDD' I might not update on Monday's. It's kinda a wildcard.

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><p>Danny's day passed by exceptionally slowly, thoughts of Valerie and Sam passed through his mind constantly. Valerie was beautiful and nice, she was in his classes and he was immediately attracted to her when he saw her.<p>

But then there's Sam. Sam, she was the one person who had stood up for him when he was trapped in the facility. She had convinced Tucker to help her get him out of the prison they'd thrown him in. She was his first friend, and Danny had emotions for her he couldn't place. But she wasn't interested, and Danny didn't know if she'd ever respond to his advances.

But then there was Valerie. She didn't have a past with him. She wasn't his best friend. She wasn't the one who knew his secret. He could make advances towards her without risking his friendship with her as dramatically as what could happen with Sam. And, eventually, when she was ready, he could show her his ghost powers.

Danny sighed as he waited for Sam by their locker at the end of the day, his mind still running all over the place. He was playing with the locker door by slowly opening and closing it as he stared at his shoes. He shivered and rubbed his arm, trying to warm up as Sam approached him.

"What's wrong, Danny? You look like you're freezing." She observed, stuffing the books she didn't need into the locker.

"I-I am." Danny shivered, hugging himself to try to keep some heat in. Danny sneezed, and then muttered, "Are you almost done, Sam? I just want to go home and curl under my blankets."

"Geeze… maybe you should go to the doctor, Danny. This doesn't seem normal." Sam closed the locker and began walking out of the school. "If this continues at _least_ tell your mom?"

Danny shivered, rubbing his arms fiercely. "Alright," Danny said, "I'll see how I am tomorrow, but I'll talk to my mom."

They began walking down the sidewalk when a car pulled up beside them. The passenger side window rolled down revealing Valerie driving the car. "Hey, Danny!" she said, leaning over to look at him, "Do you and your girlfriend want a ride?"

"H-hey Val," Danny shivered as Sam scowled and muttered something about _not_ being his girlfriend. "S-Sam's not my g-girlfriend. She's my b-best friend."

"Oh. Are you okay, Danny? You look like you're freezing."

Danny smiled and waved her off. "D-don't worry about me," He said, "I'll be o-o-okay" he sneezed right after this than smiled at Val, "Sam and I don-don't live f-f-f-far from here, we'll walk."

Val looked worried, but then straightened in her seat. "Okay, Danny, well, I'll see you next time we have Lab then." She said before rolling up her window and driving off.

"T-th-that was Val." Danny said to Sam, as if the girl needed to be told.

Sam rolled her eyes, "Yeah, got that, dude. Thanks." She said crossing her arms and looking at him. He was getting paler and paler with each passing minute.

"… okay, Danny, we're not waiting for you to see if you're okay. We're going to see your mom. You _really_ don't look well." Was Sam's voice getting deeper? And slower?

Why was she fading?

Sam watched as Danny started to squint at her, then her mouth fell open as Danny himself fell over. Sam caught him, but barely. "Danny!" she cried, whipping out her cell phone and calling an ambulance.

Danny wasn't in a _coma_, he was just unconscious. Sam sat with her elbows on her knees; her chin was on her clenched fists. She watched the IVs dripping into him, his heart monitor slowly beeping in rhythm with his actual heart. He was lying on a heating pad, and was under an electric blanket and several comforters, with a hot water bottle placed under his neck.

The doctors said his symptoms were like hypothermia, but that it was very hard to get that condition at this time of year. Sam was worried beyond belief, and had come here every time she had a break. His parents were here more often than not as well.

The nurses fluttered in every so often, taking his temperature and tsk-ing in worry every time they noticed it hadn't gone up. Sam sighed, watching Danny lying comfortably under all the blankets. He had finally stopped shivering and a small smile came to his face.

Sam finally gave up and pulled out her laptop, hoping that Tucker was online as she logged onto her chat. Luckily for her, he was, and his conversation popped up shortly after the program had loaded fully.

"_Sam!"_ Tucker said with a grin. _"What's up?"_ Sam hadn't had time- or have even _thought_ about going online in the last few days, so Tucker was in the dark about Danny's condition.

"_Are you and Danny having __**fun**__ without me?"_ Tucker winked teasingly at the Goth girl, who shot him a deadly glare, before turning the laptop around so that he could see Danny lying in the bed.

"Well, if you call _this_ fun, then sure." Sam said sarcastically. "Danny collapsed the other day, he's been suffering from cold spells and I guess they caught up to him." She spun the computer around and saw that Tucker's face had gone exceptionally pale. "They're choosing to believe it's hypothermia. I don't think it is. I think it's his ghost powers." She whispered the last part after looking around to make sure no one was around.

Tucker was still pale and his mouth was slightly ajar. "_Sam… are you… in a hospital then?"_

Sam's brows fell down to hood her eyes as she stared at the electronic image of Tucker. "…Yes. That would explain how I just showed you Danny."

Tucker gulped. "_You know I don't like hospitals, Sam._"

"Ugh Tucker! Danny's in danger and that's _all_ you can think of? You're not even _near_ the hospital!"

"_Fine… I'll try to tolerate it."_ Tucker said, taking off his barrette and wringing it in his hands. "_What's your theory on his condition?"_

"Well, do you remember when Vlad was around and he was able to do all sorts of powers Danny couldn't? Like the ghost shield that Danny was able to copy?"

"_Yeah…"_

"Do you think this might be a new manifestation?" She asked, glancing up at the bed where Danny had shifted slightly.

"_It might be. Might be worth looking into, I remember you mentioning those books you had been reading. The ones about the supernatural; continue that, and maybe you'll come across something that describes Danny's condition…" _Tucker said, placing his index finger under his chin while he was thinking. "_I'll poke around here, and see if I can't come up with something."_

Sam bit her lip and asked quietly, "What if we can't find anything and Danny gets worse and worse?"

"_We'll find something."_ Tucker assured her. "_And…"_ he looked unsure of what he was about to say, "…_Last case, we ask Vlad. He's done all that research, and he __**does**__ have ghost powers as well."_

Sam looked like she was actually considering it. "I doubt Danny would go for it." She said, thinking it over. "He's trapped in the thermos contained in a ghost-proof container in the Fenton Works lab." She explained, "Danny's terrified of that lab."

"_I know,_" Tucker sighed. "_Remember how he reacted when we were exploring the house with him?"_

Sam sighed; the poor guy had broken down into hysterics, claiming that the lab felt like death, that he could hear spirits calling for help. "I remember."

"Remember what?"

Sam looked up sharply at the bed. The quiet voice had been Danny, who was now staring at her with his eyes half open. "Danny!" Sam turned the computer around so Tucker could see. _"Hey dude!"_

Danny smiled "Tuck!" he said, "How's it going with your girlfriend?"

"_Great! But we'll talk about that later, how are you feeling bro?"_

"Better." Danny said, sitting up in the bed. "The cold's subsiding." He looked at his hands. "I don't understand it." He said, not looking up at his two best friends. "It's like this… ice cube is just growing inside of me."

Sam couldn't stand it. Danny looked so scared and confused as he looked up at Sam and Tucker, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "What's _wrong_ with me?"

"_Hey, man, calm down…"_ Tucker tried to help him, leaning as close to the webcam as he could, "_Sam and I are on it, we'll figure it out."_

Danny stared blankly at Tucker before looking back at his hands. "Thanks, guys…"

Danny was released from the hospital a few days after that, his temperature had risen and the doctors were baffled. They made him promise to get plenty of bed rest and to dress warmly if he felt a chill coming on.

Danny was sitting in his lab class, playing with a pencil on his desk dressed in a thick, warm sweater waiting for his teacher to come in. Valerie came in and sat next to him, "Hey partner." She greeted him, "Long time no see, are you alright?"

Danny looked up at her and saw guilt in her green eyes. "If I had driven you home that day, maybe things would have been better…"

Danny put his large hand over one of her petit ones, "Hey, Val, don't worry about it." He said, smiling at her and noticing how warm she was compared to him. "Things turned out how they did, and I'm okay now."

"…You're freezing, Danny." Valerie said quietly, looking down at his hand.

"…I know," he whispered, pulling away from her. "I'm sorry." He looked away from her. The tension built until Ms. Ardelle came in and announced that today would be a lecture class.

Danny refused to look at Val as he took notes, but she kept watching him from the corner of her eye as the class worse on. Something was off about him. But she couldn't place what. Then again, she hardly even knew him.

Danny finally looked over to see her watching him intently. "Uh, Val? You're kinda creepin' me out." He said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at his paper out of the corner of his eye.

"Sorry, Danny," Val said, looking away again. "I just feel like there's something wrong with you, is all. You're really cold and… you're white as a ghost." Val narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "Are you sure you should be at school?"

Danny, if it was possible, went even paler as she mentioned he was as white as a ghost. Did she find out? "N-no, I'm fine." Danny said, rubbing his hands together to try and get some warmth. Just then Ms. Ardelle let the class out and Danny jumped to his feet. "Um okay! Bye Val! I'll see you next time!" he picked all his books together and ran out of the room.

Valerie was a little hurt and confused. Why would Danny act the way he did towards her just now? Did she do something? She picked up her books and slowly made her way out of the class. She'd have to do something to make up for it.

Danny threw his stuff next to Sam under their normal meeting tree and sat down heavily.

"What's up, ghost-boy?" Sam asked without looking up from her laptop.

"Valerie's confusing me," Danny admitted sheepishly, rifling through his bag for something to snack on. "She's really concerned about me, and then mentioned that I was as white as a ghost." He pulled out an apple and buffed it on his shirt before taking a bite. "She doesn't know, as far as I know. But it freaked me out."

"You're way too sheltered, Danny." Sam said furiously typing on her laptop, "People use that expression all the time in the real world, you don't have to be so shocked by it."

Danny shrugged and took a large bite of the fruit as Sam continued, "She was just expressing concern over your wellbeing." Sam muttered grudgingly. "She thought you still looked sick." Finally she looked up at Danny. "How much did your tutors _teach_ you?" she asked, "Cause from where I'm sitting, you don't know much."

Danny shivered and rubbed his arms as he swallowed his mouthful. "I don't know, they taught me whatever." Danny murmured.

Sam's computer let out a _ping_ noise, and Tucker's icon flashed on the toolbar at the bottom.

"Tuck's on, do you want to chat?" Sam asked Danny, gliding the cursor down to it.

"Sure, why not." Danny bit into the apple again.

"_Hey Sam! Hey Danny!"_ Tucker waved at them from his side of the internet.

"Hey Tuck," the two of them said together. "When do we get to see this girlfriend of yours?" Sam asked, repositioning herself so it was easier for the two of them to see Tucker.

"_Soon, I promise._" Tucker said, waving it off. "_What's new with you guys?"_

"The usual, I guess." Sam said, glancing at Danny. "Lover boy over there's swooning over his latest crush, Valerie."

This gave Tucker pause, who glanced at Danny's side of the screen quickly. _"…Valerie? Danny… What's her last name?"_

Danny had his apple up to his mouth, ready to take another bite, but paused and looked down at Tucker. "Gray. Valerie Gray. Why?"

Tucker glanced uneasily at Sam. "_You guys don't know?"_ he asked, adjusting his glasses on his face.

"Know what?" Sam asked, crossing her arms over her chest and letting her legs support the laptop.

"_Valerie's mom was a ghost hunter,"_ Tucker began, looking more and more uneasy as he spoke. "_Her mom and my mom were friends, way back when. We used to hang out all the time. Anyway, her mother, as I said, was a ghost hunter. She was killed by a ghost on one of her missions…"_

Suddenly, Danny didn't like where this was going. "_She hates ghosts with a passion. Once her mom died, I only saw her occasionally- in the grocery store or something,"_ Tucker said, rubbing his arm uneasily. "_She had begun to carry around ghost trackers. I think she's following in her mother's footsteps."_ Tucker glanced at Danny with worry clearly etched on his face. "_I'm surprised her equipment hasn't gone off around you."_

Danny shrugged, taking a bite of his apple. "I don't know if it's the same Valerie, Tuck."

"_Dark skinned, likes to wear orange, big and beautiful green eyes?"_ Danny's stomach sank and Tucker could see the look on his face. "_Same one."_

Danny suddenly wasn't hungry. He tossed the rest of the apple into the garbage can that sat a few metres away. "Maybe she gave up ghost hunting…" Danny suggested as he shivered and his teeth clacked together.

"_Dude… you sure you're okay? You look extremely sick."_

Danny's lips were blue as he rolled his eyes, "I'm fine." He insisted, "W-why won't you g-g-g-guys stop wo-worrying?"

"Maybe it's because everything from your waist down just went invisible?" Sam suggested, pointing down.

Danny looked down and yelped in fright before looking around to make sure no one saw it. "Ugh," Danny hid his face in his hands. "W-w-why is this hap-happening to me?" He forced his legs to become visible again.

"Danny, maybe you should go to see your mom…" Sam suggested and Tucker nodded his agreement. "This is making me suspect more and more that it's your ghost powers. Your mom might have something in that lab of hers that will help."

"The _LAB_?" Danny exclaimed, "I can't go down there S-Sam, you know that!"

"_I don't think you have much choice, dude,"_ Tucker interjected, "_You look really sick, and people in school are going to notice eventually."_

Danny sighed, folding his legs up to his chest and leaning against them. "I g-g-guess." He muttered rebelliously, "But you have to c-c-c-come please." Danny gave Sam his pleading look, wrapping his arms around his legs. "I d-d-d-don't want to go down there alone."

"You'll have your parents, Danny." Sam said, splitting her laptop's screen so she could talk to Tucker while doing some homework. "You won't be alone."

Danny closed his eyes as he started to shiver uncontrollably. "P-p-p-please, Sam?" Danny begged while trying to tighten the ball he was in. People walking past gave him curious looks, seeing him shivering and miserable.

Sam reached over to rub Danny's back and try to calm him down, only to recoil in shock at how cold he was. "Danny, you're even colder than last time you had an attack." She observed, "We're ditching school and getting you help."

Danny closed his eyes as another shiver overcame him and made a noise that Sam could have sworn was the beginning of a protest, if Danny could muster the energy to complain. "_You don't want Valerie to be worried about you, do you Danny?"_ Tucker's voice piped in.

Danny turned his head and opened one eye to look at his two best friends before sighing and saying, "Alright… I'll go to the lab…"

"We'll see you later, Tucker." Sam said, logging off of chat when Tucker said goodbye, and closing her computer. She stuffed it into her bag and got to her feet. "I'll call your house so your mom knows we're coming." Sam said, taking out her cell phone.

Danny looked up at her before stiffly getting out of his position and standing up. He swayed a bit but soon regained his balance. Sam gasped as she looked down at his feet. "Yeah, we have to definitely get you checked out."

Danny furrowed his brow, unsure of what she meant before he looked down and groaned. His shoes and the grass around where he had been sitting were covered in frost. Danny sighed, hugging himself as he shivered again. "Let's go, Danny…" Sam gently put a hand on Danny's shoulder, ignoring the stinging cold that radiated off of him.

Danny finally let Sam guide him off of school grounds and made their way back home.

"Report."

"I've gained his trust, sir." The room was very dark. A small, florescent lamp swung on a thin wire from the ceiling, making the scarce light shift eerily. There was a small table with two people sitting at it; the first one who had spoken had their hands clasped together in front of their face. The other was a woman, sitting up straight and watching the man warily. "He's clueless."

"Good. You know what you have to do, correct?"

"Of course, sir, I've got it all down."

"Good. Continue your surveillance until the right time." The man said, lowering his hands and getting to his feet. "I'm looking forward to your next report."


	3. Chapter 3

Danny and Sam got to Fenton Works without too much trouble. Danny couldn't walk very fast- he was too cold, but Sam encouraged him and they got to their destination eventually.

Because Sam had called ahead, Maddie was waiting outside holding an electric blanket. Danny smiled at her as she placed it around his shoulders. "Thanks, mum." Danny said with a sneeze.

Maddie had on her normal turquoise jumpsuit. She pulled the hood and goggles off of her head as she led the two of them into the house. "How long since you got out of the hospital have you been cold, Danny?"

Danny shivered again and looked over at his mother, "It c-c-came on slowly." Danny confessed, pulling the blanket tighter around him. "B-b-but it's gotten worse over the last few days."

Maddie led Sam and Danny down to the basement, keeping Danny talking to try and distract him from where he was going. Once Danny was almost down all of the stairs his legs started to buckle. His fright was taking over him and he looked at Sam pleadingly. "Do I _have_ to go down there?"

"Come on, Danny, it's not that bad." Sam coaxed, standing on the basement floor three steps down from where Danny had froze. "We're just trying to help, and there's nothing down here that will attack you. Your parents know better than to use their weapons on you."

Danny swallowed nervously, but continued down the steps. "I k-know they're not going to h-hurt me." Danny said through his chattering teeth. The blanket was helping, slowly. "It j-just feels like _death_ down there and it creeps me o-out."

Sam leaned back a bit to look into the lab and at Danny's parents. "Come on, Dan, it's not so bad." She coaxed him. "The portal's closed, at least."

Danny sighed, keeping the blanket close as he finally gave in and walked into the lab. His parents stood by an examination table which was covered with a thick blanket. "Come on, Danny-boy." Jack said, patting the table. "Get on here, and we can do some scans on you, maybe find out what's causing the chills."

Danny hopped up on the table after giving a wary glance at all the ghost equipment in the room, paying particular attention to the ghost-sheilded Fenton Thermos that contained Vlad. They still had to figure out what to do with that.

"Can you go ghost for us, sweety?" Maddie asked as she typed away on a computer activating a machine next to the table.

Danny tore his gaze away from Vlad's prison and looked over at his mother before allowing himself to change into his ghost form. The form took some of the powerful cold feeling away from him. He allowed the blanket to slip from his shoulders with a sigh. "Why do y-you need me to be in g-ghost form, mom?"

"It's easier to test and see if it's your ghost form doing this, or if it's some sort of sickness you've acquired if you're in ghost form," his mother explained turning around to face him. "Lie down please."

Danny did what he was told and stared at the ceiling. Sam came over and stood by his side, in case he needed a friend nearby. Danny took a deep breath and closed his eyes as his mother passed a machine over him; it's beeping intensifying when it passed over Danny.

Everyone was concentrated on either Danny or the computers calculating the results, and didn't notice the rip in reality that happened near the portal. A snout poked out of it, sniffing the air cautiously as two green eyes followed. The creature crept out, ears pointed forward in caution. The animal-ghost crawled out of the tear completely, looking around.

It stood on its two, short hind legs as it locked on the four people. Out of the ripped jumpsuit it wore, it pulled out a tattered drawing. Looking at it, then at the man laying on the table it mumbled something under its breath.

When the ghost had come out of the portal, Danny's sense had gone off, but everyone attributed it to the cold that was plaguing his body. The ghost was able to creep closer. Sam was the first to notice it and she gasped in fright.

"Uh- guys? Ghost at three o'clock!"

Maddie and Jack turned around immediately, and Danny, who sat up in shock, ended up bumping his head on the scanner and falling back down with a groan.

"_No!"_ The ghost held up its hands imploringly. "_I am not here to hurt you! I'm here to help!"_

The three humans that were standing frowned at the ghost. "What did it say?" Jack asked, looking at his wife and his son's friend.

"I don't know," Sam admitted, "It's speaking a foreign language."

"_I wish more people spoke this language…"_ the ghost sighed, still warily watching them with his hands up. "_My name's Wulf, I wish you could understand me."_ Wulf did not dare make a move. "_I'm here for the ghost-child, I've been sent to retrieve him so we can help him."_

Suddenly, Maddie leapt to the side, grabbing onto a Fenton bazooka and aiming at the ghost. "Go back to where you came from, you vile creature!"

Wulf yelped, and tore open a portal in front of him and jumped in, dodging the blast Maddie sent out. The elder Fentons let out a sigh of relief before turning back to their son.

Sam gasped as she saw Wulf standing next to Danny, an apologetic look on his face as he glanced at the three humans. He slipped a paw under Danny's head and opened another portal. He picked up the ghost-boy and jumped in.

"DANNY!" Sam and Maddie yelled in horror as the portal closed behind the ghost and Danny disappeared into what they assumed was the ghost zone.

"We _have_ to find him!" Sam turned to Maddie, panic accenting her features.

"I'm on it!" Maddie jumped on the computers searching for a way to find Danny. Jack paced the room, worry apparent on his face.

Danny had fainted when he had hit his head against the heavy metal of the scanner, now he was slowly waking up. He didn't remember much from the time that Sam announced the ghost, to now. But when he found himself floating in a gel, he flipped out. He struggled, trying to find a way out of the tube he was in, almost dislodging the oxygen mask he was wearing.

He almost died from fright when a yeti-like creature with a frozen arm wandered up to Danny. He looked almost like an anthropomorphic polar bear, with icicle horns and wearing a navy blue cape with a golden clasp.

His golden belt had a crystal stud on it which held up his loin cloth. "You're awake!" Behind the yeti stood a werewolf-like ghost, his green eyes looking at Danny as if begging for forgiveness.

Danny looked at them, utterly confused. "Where am I?" he asked and then noticed that he was stripped down to his under garments. "And where are my clothes!" he asked in shock, allowing himself to curl up and hide himself.

"Relax, Phantom." The yeti said, "Your clothes are just over there, they would interfere with the gel's powers if they were still on." He explained, waving at a clothes hanger a little ways away. "You're in a de-icing gel, pre-paired specifically to warm up your core and allow you some peace. Normally used when you're covered in ice, but this was a special case."

Danny allowed himself to straighten out, still watching them cautiously. "How did you know I was in trouble?"

"I have my ways, Great One."

"Great One?" Danny's suspicion rose. "Why are you calling me that?"

"You'll find out," The yeti waved him off before pressing some buttons that drained the gel out of the tank. "You may now phase through that and get dressed, Great One."

Danny did what he was told and pulled on his jumpsuit, glad to be dressed again. The werewolf was sulking nearby as Danny turned back to the large yeti. "What's your name? And why does he look like he just robbed a bank?" Danny asked, pointing at Wulf.

"My name is Frostbite." Frostbite explained, giving Danny a small smile. "And Wulf is feeling remorse, he stole you away from your friend and your parents, and he regrets his actions, even though I was the one who begged him to do it."

Danny looked at Wulf, "You _took_ me?" he asked the werewolf before turning to Frostbite, "You _do_ know that my parents _hunt_ ghosts, right? They'll be in here faster than you can say 'boo'!"

"Your parents do not know where you went." Frostbite assured him, "And Wulf will escort you back as soon as we've helped you, Great One." Frostbite led Danny and Wulf outside and into the courtyard. "The reason you are freezing, Great One, is because at the core of your power, you are ice."

Danny blinked and looked at Frostbite. "I'm _ice?_" he asked.

"Yes," Frostbite said, standing in the middle of a large court. "You're like us, an ice type ghost." He held out a paw and allowed a crystal to form on his hand. "Unfortunately, you've been unable to tap into it and it's slowly been overtaking you.

"This is why you're body's been shutting down, you've literally been getting frostbite from the inside out. Your organs couldn't control what was happening, and were beginning to freeze over, unable to adapt. You were only able to let it out in the smallest of doses: when you sensed a ghost, for example, and your breath comes out visible.

"For now, you're safe because you were submerged in the gel. But now I'm going to teach you how to use your powers, so that you may return to your family in the Real World and not go back to the danger you were in." Frostbite turned to Wulf and motioned towards the bleachers around the courtyard.

"_Wulf, if you please would go and sit with my people, Danny and I will get on it._" Frostbite spoke in the ghost's native language.

"_Alright, Frostbite, but be careful, he's little more than a pup and he is confused and scared," _The werewolf scented the air as he began to move off.

"What language was that?" Danny asked as the werewolf hopped onto the bleachers and made himself comfortable around the yeti-ghosts.

"Esperanto," Frostbite clarified, "Few ghosts know it, and even fewer humans understand it."

"Oh," Danny said, still watching Wulf.

"Come on," Frostbite said, motioning Danny to prepare himself, "Lets train you."

Training went by quickly for Danny. Frostbite was the one who suffered some casualties from Danny's training, which included him being frozen solid. When training was done, Frostbite smiled warmly at Danny. "Good job, Great One." The ghost congratulated him, gently patting Danny on the back.

"Can you _please_ tell me why you call me the Great One?" Danny asked as he and Wulf followed Frostbite inside the Yeti's ice-hut.

"_Frostbite,_" Wulf piped up, curling up near Danny's feet after the man had sat down. The werewolf was able to understand when ghosts spoke English much easier than when humans did. _"Do not reveal all of the tellings,"_ he warned, _"If he knows too much Clockwork will be angry- not to mention the fact that things will not go as they should."_

"_**We**__ should not even know about it, Wulf,"_ Frostbite spoke back quietly, and Danny huffed and leaned his chin on his fist as he stared at the wall. He didn't like being left out of conversations. "_Clockwork only told us because we were needed to make sure the boy does not die on us."_ Frostbite motioned to Danny, "_And we have fulfilled that- he does not need to know about… him. Not yet."_

"_So what will you tell him?"_ Wulf asked, flattening his ears against his head in distaste- he did not like keeping secrets, especially from someone as powerful as Danny.

"_Just what he wants to know,"_ Frostbite assured the werewolf, before smiling at Danny. "You would like to know, Great One?" he asked, "Alright." Frostbite walked over to the bookshelf he had in the small room as Danny shifted his position to watch the older ghost curiously.

Frostbite took out an old book and brought it over to the small coffee table in front of Danny and placed it down. The book opened of its own accord, flipping to the page it needed to be at. Danny leaned forward as Wulf raised his head and looked at the dusty old book.

The page it opened to had a crude drawing of Danny's ghost form punching another ghost out of the picture. Danny couldn't see his face, but a bunch of ravens fluttered around it, casting an eerie vibe on the whole picture.

"There are certain tellings of you vanquishing powerful ghosts," Frostbite motioned to the book and the page turned to Danny fighting Vlad.

"I already fought him," Danny said, peering at the picture and noticing his parents tied up in the background, an almost exact duplication of the battle he had been through. "How does this old book know of it?"

Wulf looked at Frostbite, and Frostbite explained, "It's a very special book, Great One." He motioned for the book to turn pages again, and it landed on its original page. "You are the Great One, the one who is powerful enough to send some ghosts into their eternal afterlife." Frostbite paused when Danny looked at him confused, "The Eternal Afterlife is where ghosts go when their ectoplasmic energy runs out, and they die again."

Danny swallowed nervously, looking down at the book and scratching his head, "You really think I can do that?" The book's page turned again, and Danny could see him fighting a ghost, one that looked much more powerful than Vlad or the raven page. This one was very muscular and had a head of flaming white hair. Danny frowned, the ghost seemed familiar somehow. Frostbite noticed this and slammed the book closed before Danny could get a closer look.

"_We do,"_ Wulf broke in, even though Danny couldn't understand him, but his look was clear. _"Frostbite, it is time to return him to his pack."_ The werewolf said, standing on his hind legs, "_I will return him to the Far Frozen in due time,_" Wulf said turning to Danny and smiling kindly at him.

"Wulf says it's time to go," Frostbite said, picking up the book. "He says he'll bring you back to the Far Frozen when it's time for you to return."

Danny looked at Wulf then at Frostbite, "Will I ever understand his language?"

"I think so," Frostbite said, putting the book back before turning to look at Danny again, "I believe someone you know knows how to speak his language quite efficiently. If you explain to your family that Wulf is of no harm to you or them, maybe he could stay in your land while you figure out who it is that knows it." Frostbite walked over to Danny and put his hands on the young ghost's shoulders. "Do not be frightened, Great One, you're going to be fine."

Danny smiled up at Frostbite. "Thanks Frostbite, for everything." Danny said, turning to Wulf, "I'll see you soon."

Wulf ripped open a portal and motioned for Danny to get in. Danny looked at Wulf, and then walked through the portal. Wulf turned to Frostbite and nodded farewell before walking in after Danny.

"We'll get that ectoplasmic scum!" Jack was shouting furiously as Danny and Wulf stepped through the portal and into the Real World. Danny allowed himself to change back into human as his parents fought over how to enter the ghost zone.

"Jack, dear, we have to be careful with how we approach them," Maddie was trying to reason with her husband, "With weapons like these!" She pulled out two automatic ecto-guns.

Sam was clipping a Specter Deflector belt on when Danny walked up to them, "And what do _I_ get to use against these baddies?" he asked, putting an arm around his mom's shoulders as he leaned in to inspect their weapons.

"How about a – Danny!" Maddie said, shocked, "When did you get back?"

"Did they hurt you!" Jack asked, sweeping his gun around and looking like he was ready to tear the lap apart.

"Calm down, guys," Danny walked back over to Wulf, who was standing cautiously to the side. "Wulf here brought me to someone named Frostbite who—DAD NO." Danny stepped in front of the ghost as his father aimed his blaster at the ghost. "He brought me to Frostbite to _help_ me!"

Jack's frown softened, but he didn't lower his gun. "He _helped_ you? But he's a ghost!"

"So am I," Danny said, crossing his arms and still standing in front of the werewolf. "He speaks Esperanto, a language that no one really speaks anymore, which is why you didn't understand him when he was trying to explain things to you."

Sam looked at Wulf, then at Danny, "Tucker knows that language." She said, "I remember him babbling on about it one day, something about his friends all knowing it so he learned it too."

Danny tilted his head and nodded, "Frostbite did say something about someone knowing it around here, so that makes sense."

Maddie finally got Jack to lower his gun, and Wulf found the courage to cautiously step out from behind Danny. "Anyway, as I was _saying_," Danny rolled his eyes at his dad who bared his teeth in a goofy grin, "Frostbite lives in the Far Frozen- a place in the Ghost Zone that's completely covered in snow and ice," Danny motioned to Wulf, "Frostbite and Wulf knew, with the aid of a special text, that I was in trouble, so Wulf came to get me.

"He brought me to the Far Frozen, where Frostbite told me that I'm an _ice_ ghost." He smiled at his parents and Sam, "Which was why I was freezing. Apparently I've not been letting enough of it out, and it was building up and was slowly killing me." Danny laughed sheepishly at that, rubbing the back of his neck.

Maddie looked at the werewolf and smiled at him, "Thanks for saving my son," she said, taking a cautious step towards the ghost.

Wulf smiled up at her and gave a small bow, _"My pleasure. One such as he is rare in the Ghost Zone."_

Seeing as of how no one could understand him, Maddie smiled pleasantly, "You're welcome to stay here, if you wanted to."

"_Thanks but no,"_ the werewolf denied her politely, "_I'd rather be out under the stars,"_ He looked up at the ceiling, hoping the family would understand that.

"I think he wants to be outside," Sam observed, and Wulf thumped his tail against the floor in agreement, "Are you just going to wander freely, then?" She asked him, crossing her arms over her chest. When Wulf shook his head, and motioned upwards, to try to symbolize growing things.

"The sky?" Danny asked looking confused. Wulf didn't look like the kind of ghost that enjoyed flying.

When the werewolf shook his head, Danny shrugged, "S'all I've got." He admitted, turning to his family.

"Just promise you won't go and terrorize Amity Park, you're free to go." Maddie said, "Thanks for healing my son."

Wulf smiled at her, and turned himself intangible, running through the wall and away from them. Danny didn't believe it was the last he would see of the animal-ghost.

"I wonder where he's going," Sam pondered out loud, watching the spot Wulf disappeared into.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Forgot it was Friday today... Ooopse. Well.. you're lucky I remembered now, because I'm leaving town in about an hour and if I forgot you wouldn't get an update until _tomorrow._ :: gasp:: THAT WOULD BE TRAGIC.

Anywhoodles; TO THE STORY!

* * *

><p>Danny had a nightmare that night, he dreamt that his friends, parents, and sister were trapped in a dark, ghostly cage, calling out for him and reaching for him, terrified beyond anything. But each time he tried to get to them, he was flung further away, and part of his power was drained.<p>

Glowing red eyes appeared above the cage, a maniacal laugh shook Danny to the core as a flock of ravens burst forth, cawing in warning, feathers flew everywhere as a ghost misted into view over the cage. "Danny _Phantom,"_ The ghost mocked, floating inches above the cage his friends and family were contained in. "How _nice_ of you to join us," he crossed his arms as a particularly large raven flew into view and perched on the ghost's shoulder.

The raven had swirling white pits for eyes and its feathers seemed to be made of black smoke. It puffed itself out and cawed loudly at Danny. Even though it had no pupils, there was no mistaking where it was looking.

Danny looked in fear at the ghost, then down at his friends. "What do you want with them?" he asked, looking the ghost in his red eyes.

"Oh, Phantom, nothing from _them,_" he said, smiling mischievously, "I want you, dear boy."

"Me?" Danny asked, gulping in fear, "Why me?" the fear Danny felt rushing through his bones made him force himself to remember he was asleep and in control of this dream.

"Because, Phantom, you're the key I need, the final piece of the puzzle." The ghosts eyes narrowed, and he pointed at the cage of his friends. Suddenly, Danny noticed Valerie in there as well. He gasped in anger and looked up at the ghost.

"Let her go!" he said, clenching his fists and teeth in his anger.

"Hah! Dear boy, I will never." With a flick of his wrist, dozens of ravens descended upon the cage. Danny could hear Tucker, Sam, Valerie and his family scream in pain and terror, and that was enough to fling Danny out of his dream.

He sat up in his bed, panting heavily as he stared at the door across from his bed, the screams still haunting his mind as he tried to calm himself down.

"What… _Was_ that?" he whispered, hiding his face in his hands.

He wasn't able to go back to sleep after that.

* * *

><p>The next day, Danny yawned as he met up with Sam at their locker. "Wow, rough night ghost-boy?" she asked, leaning against the locker next to theirs as Danny put his stuff away.<p>

Danny mumbled something, still shaken from his nightmare and unwilling to go into details about it just yet. Sam rolled her eyes and closed the locker when Danny was done and walked him to his class. "I'm glad you're okay now, Danny." Sam whispered to him as they got to his class.

"Thanks," Danny said, shifting his books in his arms as he looked at her, then away. He couldn't stop remembering her screams and the guilt he felt about being more concerned over Valerie than her.

Sam noticed his reluctance to look at her, and looked away sadly. "I'll see you later, Danny." She said, and left him alone.

Danny stared after her for a moment, and felt horrible. Now she must think that it was something she had done, when it really hadn't been. He sighed- he'd have to apologize to her later. He wandered into his class and sat at his normal lab station.

Valerie came in and sat next to him, flashing a bright smile at him as she plopped her books down. "What's new Danny? Are you feeling better?"

Danny looked up and couldn't help but smile at her. "Yeah, my parents and Sam were able to help, I feel better now."

Valerie looked even happier when he said he was feeling better, and scooted her chair closer to his. "Hey, Danny…" Valerie hesitated, and then ran her hands through her ponytail. "Do you think you might want to get a burger at the Nasty Burger after school?"

Danny looked at her, then a bright smile spread on his face "I'd love to!" he said, thrilled.

The class passed in a happy blur, Danny couldn't remember anything they did, or anything their teacher said, but he just remembered the feeling of bliss he experienced. The day passed much the same; even Sam's disdain at him going on a date with Valerie could not dampen his mood.

Danny was counting down the minutes to his after school date with Valerie. They'd exchanged end times, and Danny finished an hour later than Valerie, so she'd pick him up from school and drive them over to the Nasty Burger.

When school was finally over, Danny raced outside and waited for Valerie's car to show up. When it did, he smiled broadly and jumped into the passenger seat.

At first, things were a little tense, Danny was unsure of what to say beyond the customary "Hi, how are you?" He rubbed his arm nervously as he watched the scenery on their way to the Nasty Burger, hoping that their entire time wouldn't end up like this.

At the Nasty Burger, Val ordered their food and brought it to the table, sitting across from Danny and smiling at him in a friendly way. She and Danny ate their food in relative silence, Danny would crack a joke or two, and Valerie would laugh politely, sometimes even honestly. Danny wasn't as bad at jokes as Tucker was.

After they were done, Valerie drove Danny home. "I'll see you tomorrow, Val!" Danny waved with a smile as he closed the passenger's door. Valerie smiled and waved, and then drove off.

Danny opened the door to Fenton Works, and nearly ploughed into his dad as he walked in. "Danny!" Jack said opening his arms wide and embracing his son in a hug, "You're back! Maddie! Danny's back!"

Danny's mom came out of the kitchen holding a dishtowel to dry her hands, "Hi, sweetie!" she greeted him.

"Danny-boy!" Jack smiled and steered Danny into the living room where Maddie joined them. The two adults looked at Danny expectantly.

"W-what is it?" he asked nervously, looking around.

"Tell us about it!" Jack almost shouted, his excitement apparent on his face, "Tell us all about your date!"

Danny's face flushed a dark red as he looked to the carpet under his feet. "Uhh…" he hesitated, unwilling to share the details with his parents, even if it had been something as innocent as a supper. "We uh, we went to the Nasty Burger, and then she drove me home…" Danny avoided looking at his parents as he spoke and chose to look everywhere else instead.

"Oooh, just _wait_ until I tell Jazz!" Maddie chirped, putting her hands together and swaying a bit in bliss. "My little boy's growing up!"

"I didn't know Sam could drive."

Danny turned his head and looked at his dad in shock. He didn't know his parents shared the same belief Tucker did, that Sam and Danny would end up together. "I-I wasn't out with Sam!" he defended himself, feeling his blush grow deeper.

Both Maddie and Jack looked at him, clearly not believing him. "If it wasn't Sam, who was it sweety?" Maddie asked, crossing her arms.

"It was a woman in my class," Danny rubbed the back of his neck, "Her name's Valerie. Valerie Gray."

There was a silence that settled over the room after that and Danny slowly looked from his dad's face, to his mother's face, not understanding the looks on their faces, or the fact that they had clammed up.

His father's face was blank; devoid of emotion and unreadable. His mother's lips were pulled into a thin line, and she was studying his face carefully.

"Danny…" his mother started cautiously, "You know her story, right?"

"…Tucker told me something." Danny said, his heart sinking. "Something about her hating ghosts, because her mother died by one." He mumbled.

"And what are you?" Jack asked, running a hand over his face.

"A ghost." Danny murmured, not really wanting to answer their question. "But only _half_ ghost!" he said louder, looking at his parents pleadingly. "She can't hate me all _that_ much."

"I'm honestly surprised her equipment hasn't picked up on you yet." Maddie mumbled, looking at Jack, "Do you think we programed it wrong?"

"_You_ gave her tools that could potentially _kill_ me?" Danny squeaked, shocked.

"_Before_ we knew what the ectoplasm did to you," Jack said, standing next to his wife and putting a hand around her shoulders. "_Before_ we knew you'd be half ghost. _Before_ things happened as they did and you ended up being able to come home with us."

Danny placed his face in his hands and sighed. Why couldn't anything be simple? "Well," Danny said, putting a hand over his stomach, which had, for some reason begun to bother him. "Until she becomes hostile, I'm going to go along with it."

His parents exchanged a look at this, but smiled pleasantly at him anyway, "Okay, Danny." His mother said smiling, "If anything happens, your father and I are here for you."

"Thanks," Danny said getting up. His head spun. "I… have some homework to do." He said and made his way upstairs.

Danny pulled out his laptop and opened up his chatting program. Sam and Tucker popped up immediately.

"_So?"_ Tucker asked, leaning into the camera, "_How did it go?"_ Danny rubbed his face with a hand and split the screen, pulling up his homework at the same time as talking to his friends.

"Okay I guess," Danny said, not looking at the two of them as he typed away at his homework. "We ate and talked. Nothing much happened."

"_Did she say anything about ghosts?"_ Sam asked, avoiding looking at Danny.

"No." Danny said shortly. Was _everyone_ going to bug him about her ghost hatred? He ran a hand through his hair as a pain shot through his stomach and he groaned.

"_You okay dude?"_ Tucker asked, hearing Danny's groan and noticing him wince.

"Just a stomach ache," Danny admitted, "I probably ate too fast."

"_Are you sure, Danny?"_ Sam asked, finally looking at Danny. "_You look really pale."_

Danny chuckled at that. "I'm fine, Sam, thanks. I _am_ half ghost. I'm supposed to be pale, remember?" Danny asked, wheeling out of sight of the computer for a second as he grabbed a text book.

"_You missed it, Danny."_ Sam was saying as Danny wheeled back into sight, "_While you were out on your **date** I got to meet Tucker's girlfriend."_

"Oh?" Danny was intrigued he looked at Tucker for a moment, "So he's not making her up then?"

Sam ignored Tucker's "_Hey!_" and smiled at Danny, "_Nope, she's real flesh and blood- just like you and me. She's pretty, which is shocking, and maybe even more shocking than that is that she's not dumb. Anyone who falls for **Tucker** and **isn't** off their rocker is just… I don't even know."_

Danny held back laughter and looked at Tucker who had folded his arms and was now pouting, looking away from the screen. "What's her name, Sam? Tucker's been pretty secretive about her."

"_Amelia,"_ Sam told him, pretending to inspect her nails. "_I'm sure Tucker will let you meet her eventually, right Tuck?" _Sam asked looking over to Tucker's window.

"_I don't know, you guys are pretty mean."_ Tucker muttered rebelliously, "_But I suppose she does want to meet Danny, so one day maybe."_

Danny smiled at him, but his smile disappeared quickly as he felt his stomach flip. "I- uh, I'll be right back guys." Danny ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Danny expelled the contents of his stomach into the toilet, each retch causing his throat immeasurable pain. It felt like instead of just normal bile, it was laced with fire and battery acid, searing his throat and slowly ripping it apart. When he was done, he flushed and wiped his mouth, sitting back and sighing.

Why had it burned so much? Every other time he had vomited as a child, he couldn't remember it hurting as much as it had then. Danny groaned and got up, splashing some water on his face and then cleaning up any splash back that had occurred. He had to admit, his stomach didn't hurt anymore.

He made his way back to his computer, sitting down and looking at his friends. "Okay, back guys."

"_You okay dude?"_ Tucker asked, "_You were gone an awfully long time."_

"I'm fine," Danny said, closing his text book and homework on his computer and just concentrating on his friends. He didn't feel like working anymore. "Just an upset stomach."

"_Oh gross, Danny."_

"Hey you asked!" Danny raised his hands. "I'm going to get to bed now, though." Danny said, with a sad smile at his friends, "I'm not really feeling well."

The trio said their goodnights, and Danny slipped into bed. When his lights went out, there were again red eyes glowing outside of Danny's room. Silently, they slipped inside, making their way closer to the sleeping boy. Danny shivered and pulled his blankets up closer to himself, and his breath came out visible.

The eyes floated beside him for a time before disappearing with an eerie, echoing chuckle.

* * *

><p>"Report," The man sitting in the room demanded, watching her with narrowed eyes.<p>

"I've started what we planned." The woman sat in her usual chair, back straight and eyes planted on her employer. Truth be told, he made her skin crawl, but she had no other choice if she wanted to rid her town of the abomination that currently lived there. Well, lived was a very liberal word.

"He suspects nothing, and phase one is in play."

"Excellent." The man clasped his hands together and leaned on his elbows, watching her with his eyes still narrowed. "And you're not allowing yourself to get… attached, are you?"

The sound of wings flapping caused the woman to turn her head and watch as a raven flew over, perching on the edge of the man's chair. The bird made her skin crawl more than the man himself. She _knew_ this bird was a ghost. It's feathers looked more like smoke than actual feathers, and its eyes were just swirling pits of white.

The bird watched her, tilting its head from side to side as it assessed her. "No, sir, I'm not getting attached to him."

"Good girl, Valerie. Because you know what I'll have to do if you get attached…"

Valerie Gray stood from her chair and the bird spread its wings, squawking in what appeared to be a warning. "I will not get attached to a half ghost _freak,_" Valerie hissed behind her teeth at the man. "And once I'm done with _him,_ I'm going to be coming for _you. _All ghosts should be eliminated from this world."

The man looked taken aback as he feigned shock. "_Me?_" he asked in an innocent tone. "Oh, Valerie, I only want to expunge the world of these ghosts as well," he stood up as well and his raven flew onto his shoulder.

Valerie glared at him, and turned and stormed out.

The man stood silently for a moment stroking his bird's head as he pondered Valerie's potential. "Well," he started as a smirk spread on his face, "She's got quite the temper. We may have to dispose of her before necessity calls." The bird trilled in response, and the man laughed, "We'll have to show up soon." He said, "And make sure that Danny _Phantom_ cowers in fear, especially with his powers weakening."

"Sulker did us a great favour putting up a notice about a half ghost child." The man continued on to his bird, "Warning us that it was his prey… but that idiot does not know the full potential a half ghost holds." The man's hair suddenly burst into flames. A black blaze burning on top of his head as his eyes turned red and began to glow. "What powers I can take from him when I finally get my hands on him!"

The bird leapt off of the man's shoulders and led the way out of the room and the man floated after it. "The boy will be the key to unlocking my final power… and allowing me to take over this blasted world!"

* * *

><p>Sam didn't meet Danny at their locker the next day, but Danny didn't think much on it. It was coming up on the end of the term, and Danny knew Sam was swamped with projects. There would be snow on the ground soon, and in a couple of weeks, Tucker would be flying over to spend winter break with his family and his two best friends.<p>

Danny closed his locker door and turned, coming face to face with Valerie. She looked tired but she smiled warmly at Danny. "Hey, Danny," she greeted, glancing away and holding her books tight against herself, "I had fun yesterday. Do you want to maybe do it again sometime soon?"

Danny smiled at her, thrilled that she looked passed the awkwardness and wanted to see him again, "I'd love to!" Danny said happily, "When would you like to?"

"Oh, I don't know… maybe tonight? Are you free? You could come over to my place and I could cook something for us."

Danny blinked at her. One date and she'd invited him over to her place? Danny felt his face flush and he stammered, "Er- y-yeah, that's fine! I'll um I'll meet you after school? Same place?"

Valerie smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'll drive you over." She noticed his flush and laughed, "Oh no, you're _such_ a boy!" She turned and started to walk to their class, "It's _just_ dinner, maybe a movie, too. Not that." She giggled as Danny blushed more as he walked next to her.

"I wasn't thinking about you know _that,_" Danny mumbled not looking at her as they wandered into class and he sat at his place. "Just… you know it's your house and all and your parents will be there so…"

Valerie paused, crossing one leg over the other as she wrote down the notes on the board for the new experiment. "…It's just my dad and I." she said quietly, "And dad works really late."

Danny could sense that she didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he let it drop and focused on the task at hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ** So_, _this is completely irrelevant to this story, but.. I wanna check something. With the world of quickly evolving electronic devices... _**Who remembers a VCR?**_ I mean... I need to use it in the final installment of this story arch; and I wanted to know if anyone remembered it. Maybe if I said VHS? I know that some people at my school don't remember the VCR... Because of DVDs taking over everything- ah I'm rambling. I'm a 90's kid. All my favorite movies are on VHS :'D

Anywhoodle. Lemme know in a review, if enough people remember it, I'll add it. If not I'll think of something else.


	5. Chapter 5

Later that night, Danny was waiting for Valerie to finish up with preparing supper. She brought in a bowl of salad with some ingredients Danny didn't know, and then brought in the meat course. As she served them, Danny curiously poked at the salad with his fork.

"So um, what are these?" Danny held up a dark red vegetable that looked like a flower.

"Oh, that?" Valerie asked nonchalantly, sitting down at her spot and picking up her fork and knife, "It's just something called a Blood Blossom, it sounds dangerous, but it's delicious." Valerie stuck one in her mouth to show that she wasn't afraid to eat them.

Something in Danny made him wary of eating them, so he stuck with the meat, hoping that if he got to them later, the weird feeling he had would go away.

Valerie watched him closely as he ate, noticing him grimace in pain once and a while. She had to hide a smirk as he looked up at her and smiled. "It's delicious," Danny said, then looked down at his plate and saw with dismay that all that was left was his Blood Blossom salad.

Danny lifted one up on his fork, swallowing nervously at it. He placed it in his mouth and began to chew…

Danny's chair fell over when he jumped in pain and screamed. All he wanted was to get the thing out of his mouth, and that unfortunately caused him to swallow it. Danny's agonized scream ripped through the apartment and Valerie rushed to his side, "Danny! Danny!"

Danny looked up at her, his eyes glazing over and foam trickling out of the side of his mouth as his body twisted and contorted with the pain the blood blossom was giving him. He changed from human to ghost and back again as Valerie watched, horror apparent on her face.

Danny panted, his strength waning as the pain over took him. Finally, his stomach turned and he started to vomit. Valerie turned him onto his side so he wouldn't choke on it as he got all of the Blood Blossom out.

The poison out, Danny collapsed in an unconscious heap. Valerie stood up, a smirk on her face as the room grew cold and a figure appeared. "He's all yours, Demois." She said without even turning. "The ghost boy is yours. If you don't destroy him, I'll finish the job. He's weakened; he should be easy for you."

Valerie finally turned to the ghost behind her. "Take him out, I have his mess to clean up."

Demois lifted an arm and several ghost ravens lifted out of the floor boards and covered Danny. A pounding sounded on Valerie's door as the birds turned Danny intangible and removed him from the room. Demois took an extra second to asses it, and then with a swirl of his cape vanished from the room as well.

"Is everything alright in there Ms. Gray?" Valerie's neighbour called through the door, sounding worried.

Valerie sighed and went over to it, "Everything's fine," Valerie said, opening the door and blocking her neighbour's view of the room by leaning against it, "My boyfriend just saw a spider is all, he's very scared of them."

"…He sounded like he was dying," her neighbour tried to see into the room by leaning to one side. Valerie blocked her attempts and said, "Yes, well, he's _very_ arachnophobic, thanks for making sure though, Mrs. Olson, have a good night." Valerie gently closed the door on her neighbour.

"…Goodnight Ms. Gray…"

* * *

><p>The next day Sam was sitting under the tree she met Danny at every day, and was waiting for him, so she could apologise for not seeing him at all yesterday. When he never showed up, Sam began to wonder if he was mad at her, but dismissed that notion quickly. Danny wouldn't be mad over that; he understood that it was end of term.<p>

Sam looked at everyone exiting the school. The tree was close enough to an exit that she could clearly see who came in and out of the school. She didn't see Danny anywhere. She decided she would go wait outside his next class and maybe he'd show up.

Sam arrived at Danny's class room well ahead of its starting time. Danny never showed up. Valerie was walking past so Sam grabbed her arm. "Valerie!"

Valerie turned and looked at Sam, "Oh, hey, you're Danny's friend."

"Yeah, I am, have you seen him? I haven't seen him since the day before yesterday…" Sam worried, not wanting to show Valerie how worried she was over him.

"No, I haven't. He was supposed to come to my house last night for supper but he never showed up." Valerie got a worried look on her face, "Do you think he's okay?"

Sam looked at her for a second, calculating what Valerie just said. "…I don't know, he might just be at home. He wasn't feeling well the other day…"

"Maybe, look, my class is starting so I have to go…" Valerie looked troubled, "Can you let me know if you find anything about him?"

Sam was silent but nodded, already trying to figure out where Danny would go. She'd check his parent's house first, and failing that, she'd have to ask Tucker if Danny said anything to him.

Sam wandered to her class distractedly.

* * *

><p>The doorbell blared through Fenton Works. Jack skipped downstairs and ran to the door yelling, "I got it Mads!" as he went. Opening the door wide he smiled and said, "Welcome to Fenton Works!"<p>

Sam looked up at him and snickered. Danny's dad always answered the door like that, even though the ghost hunters never got any customers.

"Oh, hey Sam!" Jack looked down at her and smiled, "Danny-boy's not home yet. Do you need something?"

"I just wanted to know if he's here…" Sam said, looking worried again, "I didn't see him at school."

"Well, now that you mention it, he didn't come home last night from his date…" Jack trailed off, then laughed and nudged Sam with his elbow, making the Goth gasp lightly in pain and rub the spot he nudged, "I'm sure he had a good time though," Jack laughed, "Danny-boy's all grown up!"

Sam narrowed her eyes, "So he _did_ go out on a date last night?" she asked, "Because I met up with his girlfriend and she said he never showed up."

Jack frowned, "Well, maybe she was trying to cover it up. I wouldn't worry about it, Sam!" Jack laughed, "Even if Danny went out on a date with someone else and stayed overnight, I'm sure his heart is still yours!"

Sam flushed and looked away, "He- we don't like each other like that," Sam muttered, "Well, thanks for your help."

"Any time, Sam!"

Sam walked home slowly, deep in thought. She didn't know anywhere else Danny would go if not home. Her parents hated him, though they'd been getting better ever since they closed the Facility with the help of the Fentons; and Tucker's family would never let him in, especially without Tucker around. They still thought he was an escaped mental patient, despite Tucker's insistence that he wasn't.

Sam walked into her house and was greeted by her elderly grandmother, who scooted up to her on her motorized scooter. "Welcome home Bubeleh!" she smiled at Sam and drove with her into the kitchen, "How was Sammy's day at school?"

"Fine, Grandma, thanks," Sam said with a smile, "A little stressful but not so bad,"

"How's Danny?"

Sam's smile vanished, her grandmother was the only one who didn't care that Danny was half ghost, or that his parents were eccentric ghost hunters, and she ignored the fact that her daughter and her son-in-law hated him. She knew him as a person and liked him well enough. Sam enjoyed talking to her grandmother about things that involved Danny.

"Danny didn't come to school today," Sam said as she brought out a couple of plates for her and her grandma to have a small snack. "I haven't seen him for a couple of days,"

Sam took out a handful of crackers and cut up a tomato. She placed a plate in front of her grandmother and then sat down behind her own. "His… _girlfriend_ claimed she didn't see him, but his dad said he never came home last night…"

Her grandmother picked at the crackers and tomato plate in front of her and pondered this, "Well, what do you think happened?"

Sam didn't know. And if she was being honest with herself, she didn't _want_ to know. If Danny chose to get down and dirty with a ghost hunter; that was his business. Sam had no say. She hoped he hadn't, but she couldn't change back time. She sighed and rested her head on a hand and looked at her grandmother worriedly, "I don't know, Grandma," she admitted, "It doesn't seem like Danny to go off with a girl he hardly knows."

"He did with you," her grandmother stuffed a cracker in her mouth and chewed slowly as Sam shut up. It was true. Danny didn't know her at all when she had rescued him from the Facility. But he had trusted her and let her help him. But this was different. Valerie wasn't leading him out of an inhuman testing area- she was just dating him. But still… it proved that Danny was very trusting.

Sam sighed and pushed her plate away from her, burying her face in her arms on the table in its stead. "You know," her grandmother continued as if Sam wasn't having an internal conflict. "Your mother and father don't actually _hate_ Danny." She said nonchalantly, picking up her last cracker. "They worry about you, yes, so they come off as harsh with him. You are their only child. But on top of that they feel awful."

Sam peeked at her grandmother over her arms, curious as to why she was sharing this information. "They held a living _human_, against his knowledge, in a place where they performed tests on him _daily. _As much as you think your parents are soulless monsters, they're not. They feel awful for what they did to Danny and are too ashamed to look at him." The old woman plopped the cracker in her mouth.

Sam stared at her grandmother, lifting her head and putting her chin on her arms as she watched her eat. "Why are you telling me this?"

"So that when you and he finally start dating, you know that eventually your parents come around!"

"Grandma!" Sam's face went beet red and she sat straight up. "Danny's not even interested in me!" Realising what she said, Sam groaned and let her head fall back to lean against the back rest of the chair.

Her grandmother cackled and reversed her scooter. "Your heart knows what the lad did or did not do, Samantha." She said as she turned to leave, "You know the questions to ask, and who to ask them to. Thanks for sharing a snack with me. I'll see you later, Bubeleh." And with that the wise old woman scooted towards the basement to bowl.

Sam watched her go and then stared at the wall for a time. Her grandmother was always so knowledgeable about things Sam couldn't even understand at times. Sam sighed and got up; she would ask Tucker if he knew anything and if not, she had one last resort, if however, she was able to find it.

"Please be on, Tuck." Sam whispered as her computer booted up. "Please please please be on. Don't be off with Amelia, please…" she opened chat and signed on quickly, but her spirits fell as she saw that her best friend was not online. "Tucker!" Sam sighed heavily. "Just when I need you most, you're not on!"

Sam slammed her computer closed and got up to pace. That left one option. It was a long shot, but it just might work. She didn't know how he would work, or if he would do as she asked, or even if he would understand her, but she would have to try.

She had to find Wulf.

Sam picked up a bunch of papers she had printed out- she'd been researching Esperanto and had started to learn it slowly with Tucker's help, and stuffed them in her signature spider backpack before rushing out of the house again.

She tried to remember what Wulf tried to tell them last time she saw them. She remembered him motioning towards the sky, and they had guessed outside, which he had confirmed. _Great,_ Sam thought bitterly as she ran towards the Fenton's. She figured that would be the best place to start her search. _That only narrows it down to the **entire** planet!_

What else had he tried to say? He had lifted his arms. Danny had guessed the sky. That couldn't be right. Sam thought about it. What else could he mean? Tall things? Buildings? He was an animal she had to think like an animal-

The forest!

There was a forest just outside of Amity where the Facility was located. The ghost must have meant that area. Sam was thrilled she finally had something that resembled a lead. At least to one ghost.

When she got to the forest the girl slowed down. It was getting dark out and the canopy of leafs overhead blocked out any light from the moon, stars or street lamps.

"Wulf?" Sam called out cautiously, on high alert for any potential creepers that hung out in forests at night. "Wulf are you out here?"

"Amiga?" the word sounded from behind her, and Sam turned with a start. She knew what the word meant, it meant 'friend' in Esperanto, so she wasn't scared of who it was, but it startled her nonetheless. Wulf came out of the shadows and looked at her with his innocent eyes. "_Whatever are you doing here, child?"_ Wulf asked in Esperanto.

Sam furrowed her brow and tried to speak his language, "_My… friend, Danny, he gone missing."_ Wulf's eyes widened and he looked at her with his mouth open.

"_You speak my language?"_

Sam nodded, "_Learning."_ She mispronounced the word, but Wulf understood what she meant.

"_You need practice, but you're getting there. Did you say Danny is missing?"_

"_Yes. He not return from…_ ugh what's the word…" Sam pulled out her notes and squinted at them in the pale light, "_School. No one's seen him- or no one says they've seen him since two days before today."_ Sam knew how utterly bad she was at this language and was surprised Wulf hadn't burst out laughing and rolling on the ground. He seemed appreciative of her effort and knew the severity of the situation.

"_So you need me?"_ he asked, looking confused about this part.

"_Yes! Can … you sniff him? Find him and bring me to him?" _Sam questioned, he was her last hope.

"_I can try, child."_ The werewolf agreed, looking uncertain. "_But if he is in Phantom form, I will not be able to find him. Phantom does not have a scent; he only gives off a ghost aura. I'm not accustomed to it yet."_

Sam struggled to translate what Wulf said, and had him repeat it slower for her before she nodded. "_Try best, please?"_ She begged, not willing to give up this last hope to find her missing friend.

"_I will try."_ Wulf said with a small smile. "_You care deeply for each other, don't you?"_

Sam blushed and looked away. "_I do not know what you are saying,"_ she stammered, "_Danny has a girlfriend, I am just a friend."_ Wulf smiled a toothy smile and narrowed his eyes at her.

"_Your scent tells differently. But never mind, Danny needs us now, so your mating habits will wait for another time."_

If Sam wasn't red before, she was now.

* * *

><p>The werewolf ghost cautiously sniffed around Danny's room. Sam stood near the doorway with her arms crossed as he did his thing. Danny's parents, and to Sam's surprise, sister, hovered nervously behind her. Jazz had come home from her advanced college today, having finished exams and such, and was free until after the holidays. This made Sam have a small bit of hope- it meant that hers and Danny's breaks were coming up shortly, and Tucker would be home again.<p>

Wulf lifted his head and looked at Sam. "_He's not here in this world anymore."_ How he could tell that, Sam didn't know, "_I will check the Ghost Zone," _The ghost slashed at the air and looked at Sam for a second, as if assuring her that he would be back before leaping into his personal portal.

"What did he say?" Sam turned to see Jack standing behind Maddie, his hands on her shoulders as she wrung her own as they watched her.

"He's not in this world anymore," Sam said quietly. "He's checking the Ghost Zone to see if he was taken there."

Maddie looked on the verge of tears and Jack closed his eyes. "Does this mean he's… dead?" Jack asked quietly.

"I don't think so," Sam said, "I think he's still alive. But I don't know if this means he's running out of time or not."

Danny's mother took in as deep a breath as she could. It wasn't like her to be this weak, but her son's life was on the line. "I want to go into the Ghost Zone with you to rescue him," she declared, looking at Sam in the eyes. "I want to kick whoever took my boy away."

Jack nodded. "I'll go too; no one takes my boy away from me!"

Jazz looked determined. "I've not seen my little brother for almost a year, and I want to help him now."

Sam looked at them and noticed the determined look on their faces, knowing that they wouldn't back down on this. Slowly, the girl nodded. "All the help I can get," she said quietly as Wulf returned.

"_He's in the Ghost Zone,"_ The Ghost looked up at Sam and Danny's parents. "_I can't take all of you into the Zone, but I can lead you to him when we get in."_

"We'll use the Fenton Portal," Maddie said when Sam had translated, "And the Spectre Speeder will do nicely for transport."

The four humans and one ghost went down into the Fenton's lab and Jack unlocked the portal as Maddie got into the driver's seat of the Speeder. Sam buckled in in the back and Jack climbed in shortly after.

Wulf stayed outside and watched as the Speeder was turned on and started to hover slightly. "_I will see you inside,"_ The ghost turned and ran into the portal, the Speeder flying silently after him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Iforgotitwasfridayoopse.

ssdksjk. This story's moving on. It's not a long story... it's already almost done fff. But like yeah. :'D I don't like this story and the next one's not much better- BUT IT WILL BE. Because it has my favorite ghost in it. SO. Yeah.

kthxbai.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** ...holycrap. So Um. I just realized this is the second to last chapter...

wow this story was short. :I Sorry... I'll try to make the next one longer.

* * *

><p>Everything hurt. His stomach felt like it was simultaneously on fire and trying to leap out of him as Danny slowly came around. His head felt like it was about to burst, and his thoughts swam lazily around inside it.<p>

"Did someone get the number of the ghost that hit me?" Danny pushed himself up with one hand as the other went to his forehead to try to stop the spinning.

Danny coughed once, then squinted open his eye to check out his surroundings. The walls were bare stone, a small lap hung from the ceiling rocking back and forth slowly. But what caught Danny's attention the most was that on each wall sat hundreds of ravens. Their white, soulless eyes seemed to be locked onto Danny as their heads went this way and that and their smoke-feathers ruffled and unruffled.

Danny's ghost scene fogged out of his mouth at an almost constant rate, confirming his suspicion that these birds were ghosts and a threat. Danny groggily got to his feet and muttered "Goin' Ghost," before trying to tap into the cold core that was his ghost form.

There was nothing there.

Danny's heart fluttered nervously, and he swallowed. Each bird kept an eye on him, the room eerily silent as he tried to figure out what was wrong with his powers. They just weren't there.

He tried to think back on what had just happened- he remembered going to Valerie's house, then an intense pain, and then he woke up here.

Had Tucker been right? Had she figured out that he was a ghost and had done something to him? Was he… _dead?_

Danny started to panic until he felt his heart skip and he breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't dead, not yet at least. But if these birds were any indication, it wouldn't be long until he was. Danny looked around carefully, looking for any sort of opening to the walls of ghost birds.

A plume of smoke appeared, just on the edge of his peripheral vision, and Danny spun around to face the potential threat.

Demois appeared there, standing tall and looking down on Danny with his blood red eyes. "Nice to see you've come to, Daniel." The older ghost observed.

A particularly large raven flew over and landed on the ghost's outstretched arm, its cold white eyes boring into Danny's as it tilted its head this way and that. "Do you know who I am?"

Danny swallowed, "No," he replied, trying not to let his fear show.

The older ghost pulled his arm close to him and gave his bird a pat with a finger on his free hand. "My name is Demois, the most powerful ghost in the Zone,"

Danny licked his lips, "I.. I've fought Vlad…"

The ghost paused and looked at Danny. "Who?" he was confused, "I've never heard of such a ghost; no matter! I'm the most powerful ghost in the Zone, except for one key element."

Danny didn't like where this ghost was heading, and he stealthily shifted into a defensive position.

"The one thing I'm missing is your power." Danny bit his lower lip as Demois continued, "You are one of the more powerful ghosts around, and considering you're also _human_ still, well, it makes me hunger."

The bird on his arm flew off as all the birds on the walls became aloft at the same time. None of them made any noises except the snapping of their wings. They vanished through the ceiling, smokey-feathers floating down towards the ghost and the man, disappearing before hitting the ground.

Demois waited until it was silent. "With your exceptional ghost abilities, you're very powerful. Mixed that with your still living half; and you are a grade almost to my own." The ghost frowned as he watched Danny. "I will absorb you and with your powers, I will be unstoppable in taking over both the Ghost Zone, _and_ the human world!"

Something sparked in Danny- something he didn't know he had. Anger bubbled under the surface as Danny recognized his new emotion. He wanted to protect everyone. Protect Amity Park. Protect his friends. Protect the world.

Danny had always thought of himself as a coward: unable to leave the Facility out of fear of the real world; unable to face his parent's lab due to the whispering cries of the dead.

Unable to face Sam and the truth of his feelings for her.

And suddenly, Danny felt his cold core rush back to him. Felt his powers collide into him like a powerful wave, washing over him with a calming sensation.

Suddenly, there was no more fear. There was no more doubt. There were only two things in Danny's mind: pure, bubbling anger; and the strong, fiery desire to protect the people he loved, and the town he lived in.

Danny's eyes were glowing a dangerous, bright green as he looked up at Demois. The older ghost had a smug grin on his face and floated with his arms crossed and his black, fiery hair lazily crackling on his head.

"You will _never_ take over my town while I'm alive, buster." Danny growled behind clenched teeth before shooting up into the air and charging to an attack on Demois.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, Wulf yelped, leaning backwards and stopping his flight. The Specter Speeder screeched to a halt behind him and the four humans peered over the dashboard and at the ghost.<p>

"_What's wrong, Wulf?_" Sam asked over the loud speaker.

Before the ghost could answer, a ghost in a white suit and black fedora floated into view. "Flying an unauthorized vehicle; that's against the rules."

Wulf swallowed with fear, staring at Walker as his hackles began to rise. Walker looked at him. "And as for you: leading an authorized vehicle in _my_ Zone. Well, that's a double violation."

"Violation of what rules?" Jazz asked, leaning around her parents to watch Walker cautiously.

"My rules," Walker replied. He never got tired of reminding people of _his_ rules, in _his_ zone.

Wulf looked back at the Speeder and the humans in it. "_I'm going to create a portal, and distract him- you guys go through,"_

"Esperanto?" Walker asked curiously. "You wouldn't happen to be that ghost named Wulf, would you?"

Wulf looked at him, his nerves on edge. "Because I've been getting many reports on you; seems you've been tearing open portals to the human world- that's against the rules."

Wulf swallowed nervously as Walker snapped his finger. Suddenly around them, several police ghosts appeared, forming a tight ring around the Speeder and the werewolf. "You're all going to have to come with me." Walker's gaze was menacing as his ghosts moved closer and closer to the group in the center.

* * *

><p>The world spun. The world spun and his vision swam with black dots. Nothing made sense. Again, he hurt all over. But instead of the fiery pain in his stomach, these were wounds that danced over his flesh. He struggled to maintain his ghost form as he floated weakly in front of his opponent.<p>

Danny looked up and saw the blurry, swaying face of Demois as the older ghost smiled down at him. Danny lost his grip on his ghost form and reverted to human. The sadistic ghost standing over him smiled with a grim satisfaction.

Briefly Danny wondered why he wasn't doing anything to take his power, as he had made so blatantly clear he had wanted to do. The black haired ghost reached down and grabbed Danny by his shirt collar, lifting the boy up to look deep into his eyes.

"This is just the _beginning _of your pain, child." Demois hissed behind his teeth as Danny struggled to keep his eyes focused on the ghost, "I have _much_ more planned for you, things you could not even _imagine._"

Danny swallowed bile that rose in his throat as the powerful ghost dragged Danny towards something Danny could only assume was to be his new cell. _Cell?_ Danny's inner thoughts screamed at him to get out of there. Danny started to flail in the iron grip the ghost had on his shirt and a bit of skin. He couldn't go in there. He couldn't handle being locked up again.

He would die in there.

Demois unlocked a room and tossed the halfa in. Despite his injuries, Danny got to his feet and turned quickly, eyes wide as Demois slammed the door closed. "No…" Danny whispered, running to the door to try and yank it open. As soon as his hands touched it an electric shock blazed through him, causing him to scream in agony and stumble back towards the bed in the corner. "No, no no no…"

Demois' glowing eyes looked at Danny through the small square window in the door. "You'll stay in there until I'm ready for your surprise." Danny gulped nervously.

"S-surprise?" Danny squeaked worriedly.

"Oh, you'll see. I'm not kidding when I mean your torture's just begun."

* * *

><p>The sound of keys turning in the lock brought Sam out of her stupor. She and Jazz had been up all night discussing plans on getting out of the jail. Maddie and Jack had been thrown into a separate cell and she had no idea where Wulf was.<p>

A police ghost wafted in, brandishing a night stick and a stern look. "Come on you two," The ghost said. One of the rare times Sam had heard any of the cops speak. "Walker's got someone waiting to see you."

Jazz and Sam looked at each other, frowning as they were herded out of the cell and united with Maddie and Jack. They were shackled to lead lines the ghost carried, and brought to the front, main office.

Walker was speaking to a ghost who had his back to the four humans as they were shoved into the office.

"Ah," Walker said catching sight of them. "There they are. Normally, it's against the rules to sell prisoners but…" he looked at his guest, who had turned to watch the humans with calculating red eyes.

"You have an offer I cannot turn down."

Slowly, the ghost floated over to them. He walked over to Jack, who just so happened to be front of the line and placed a hand on his shoulder. In an instant the room vanished from the human's views and was replaced by a dismal, gothic castle room.

Demois pointed a finger at them, and around them sprung up a dark flamed cage. "Hey!" Jack protested as the four of them huddled back to back to stay as far away from the flames as possible.

"Sam?"

Sam, along with the Fenton family turned to look at the new voice. A little ways away in a similar cage, was Tucker. The black man was as close to the bars as he could get without being hurt.

"Tucker?" Sam edged herself as close to the cage as she dared. "What are you doing here?"

Tucker glanced towards one of the far doors, swallowing nervously. "I was on my way to class when that ghost showed up." He whispered, "The ghost babbled something about needing Danny's weaknesses, and then he brought me here…" He gripped his PDA worriedly. "I heard Danny before, but he screamed and went silent…"

"That's because Demois locked him up," All eyes turned to the door way, where they were astonished to see Valerie standing.

Rage flooded through Sam and she gripped the fiery bars, paying no heed to the pain that shot up her arms.

"What did you do to him!"

Tucker calmly watched as the Fentons tried to pry Sam off of the cage, the smell of burning flesh wafting towards him.

"Val," Tucker spoke quietly to his old friend as Sam's cries of rage subsided into sobs of pain. Pain from losing Danny, or from the bars, Tucker didn't know. As Valerie looked at him, Tucker quietly asked, "Why?"

Valeries eyes were granite chips. "He's a ghost. I've pledge to rid the world of ghosts."

"He's only _HALF_ a ghost!" Sam screamed, wrenching herself out of Jack's iron like grip and ramming herself against the bars of the cage. Sam's anger was derived from panic and pain. She was scared for Danny, knowing how being locked up would affect his psyche. It came from her feelings for him: she wanted him to be safe.

"Half ghost, full ghost, they all must be eliminated."

"But you're working for one," Jazz pointed out.

Valerie pushed a button on her wrist and starting from the bottoms of her feet up a suit sprang, moulding over her clothes and transforming her in the skin tight leather. She became the Red Huntress.

Tucker whistled, earning a glare from the cage next to his.

Valerie pulled her hood over her head and looked at the group, "I'm going to dispose of Danny and Demois."

"Please don't harm Danny!" Maddie held Jack's arm fearfully. Val took no notice as she turned towards the door.

"We should have never given her those weapons," Jack muttered angrily.

Before Valerie could leave the room, the door crashed open and something hit Valerie sending her careening into the far wall. As the dust settled, everyone could see Danny tangled up with Val.

"V-Val?" Danny stammered in shock, disengaging himself and stepping back from her.

Danny's emotions were raging between surprise, anger and glee; surprise to find her here, anger at what he could just vaguely remember her doing, and glee at seeing a familiar face.

"Danny!" Sam and Tucker said together, and Danny looked at both cages. But contrary to what everyone thought he would react like, Danny started to panic.

This was his nightmare come to life.

"No," Danny shouted, holding his hands up and walking away from them. "No, no no no."

"Danny boy, what's wrong?" Jack asked as everyone except for Valerie watched Danny's behaviour, concerned.

"You can't be here." A flicker of white light appeared at Danny's waist as he tried to go ghost, but it sputtered out with a slight _fsss_ noise.

Val got stiffly to her feet as his audience stared at him. "You aren't here." Danny chuckled, his eyes flickering from one face to the next. "You aren't, really you're not."

"Oh, but they are Daniel."

Danny whipped around and for a second he swore he saw Vlad, but the image melted and Demois was left floating in his place. "And it's about to get a lot worse for you."

Danny clenched his teeth as he glared up at the sceptre. He didn't say anything however, as the other ghost floated down to his level.

"I think I'll start with this beauty right here."


	7. Chapter 7

A woman's gasp sounded and Danny turned around quickly to see Sam being lifted up by an unseen force. Her hands clawed at her throat and her legs kicked madly. She phased through the bars of black fire as if it was nothing.

Danny inhaled his breath sharply through his teeth as Sam made sputtering chocking noises. Physically exhausted or not, Danny's anger got a grip on him and caused him to transform.

A wind picked up out of nowhere and his hair fluttered in it as he transformed with a flash. His eyes began to glow an eerie green, his irises seemed to melt into the whites and coat his eyes in ectoplasmic green.

"Let her go,"

A gasp came from Sam followed by a small click. Danny's fists clenched. Bending at the knees, Danny shot up as fast as he could, his fists outstretched as he barrelled towards the malevolent ghost. The full ghost anticipated this and grabbed Danny by his neck.

The half ghost was ready for this, however, his temper overcoming his thoughts of reason. Danny concentrated all his energy into his frozen core.

He remembered Frostbite's words. He remembered well what the Yeti had said as he narrowed his eyes and shot out all his frozen energy into the ghost holding him. He, as well as Demois' arm froze. Demois lost his grip on Sam and she fell limply to the floor.

Demois screamed and brought out his own elemental. Lightning danced on his shoulder and down his frozen arm, playing over the sheets of ice and melting it where it landed. Eventually, the ice cracked off of his hand, and he let Danny fall with a thud to the floor.

The ice around Danny began to crack, and the humans watching the fight feared that when the ice split, Danny would go with it. Suddenly, hundreds upon hundreds of birds shot out of the ground, accumulating around Demois and _merging _with him. His now unfrozen arm dangling limply at his side; the birds merging with him caused him to grow in height and bulk.

The ice block that was Danny was now shaking madly. Maddie, Jack and Fenton hugged while watching their son, eyes wide with fear. Tucker was staring at Sam, who was coughing and sputtering as she forced herself to her knees.

Demois finished merging with his birds; he was now at least ten times his original height as he waited for Danny to break free.

The ghost boy in question shattered his self-imposed prison and glared up at the powerful ghost. He felt a twinge of fear at the ghost's new height, and the power he could sense pouring out of every pore on his body.

The ghost reached towards Danny but the smaller ghost zipped out of Demois' outstretched hand and it closed in thin air. The ground rumbled in reply to the ghost's growl of frustration.

Danny zipped over to Sam, who was rubbing her neck and watching the ghosts. "Are you okay?" He whispered, putting his hands on her shoulder as she kept an eye on Demois.

"Duck!" Sam said, holding onto Danny who turned them intangible and phased them through the floor, just as a blast exploded where their heads were.

Before they could get far, a hand reached out and grabbed Danny by the back of his shirt, pulling him and Sam up. Demois turned them around so he could look them both in their eyes, a frown plastered on his face.

"Ah ah ah," The ghost _tsk_ed him, taking Sam in his limp hand and holding tightly onto Danny. "It wouldn't do to have you and your girlfriend escape."

Danny expected some argument from Sam about not being his girlfriend, but she remained silent. Looking over, Danny noted that she was unconscious, little zaps of electricity playing along her body, tracing up to the ghoul's shoulder.

"Stop hurting her!" Danny's eyes were an electric green now and his teeth were clenched in anger. Demois threw his head back with a bark of laugher.

"Just what I was waiting for!" Danny felt something coursing through him. Lightning played along his suit and he could feel something that felt like the pricks of many claws tearing into him, Danny gasped in pain and started to struggle. He could feel his head starting to swim, his powers draining.

Danny started to pant; he weakly flexed his muscles, straining against the over-sized fingers that bound him, his powers were extinguished and he turned human, his head lolling onto his chest as he struggled to stay conscious as lightning left small burn marks on his body wherever it touched.

"DANNY!" His mother screamed. Jack held her by her upper arms as she struggled to get to her son, and his sister held onto her father, watching her brother with scared eyes.

Tucker turned to Valerie, who had been watching the whole thing, stunned. "Valerie! Please!" Tucker was able to reach through the bars and grab a hold of Valerie's sleeve. She turned to him, still in her Red Huntress outfit. She frowned at her old friend.

"Valerie- you're the only one who can help Danny and Sam. Come on, please!" Tucker looked at her, his eyes glazed with fear and worry. "You have to help him. He's not just a ghost- he's my best friend."

Valerie, her frown still plastered on her face gently peeled Tucker's hand off of her suit. Her eyes were shadowed by her goggles, so Tucker couldn't tell what she was thinking. She passed a hand over her face with a deep sigh, "Tucker, I swear." She mumbled pressing a series of buttons on her suit to bring out a large gun. "If it weren't you, I'd never agree to this crazy mess."

Valerie shot the base of his cage with her gun, and Tucker shielded his face with an arm. "Hey! A little warning would be nice next time you know!" When the dust settled, he noticed that the cage was gone. He looked around and saw the Fenton's cage disintegrated too. He trotted over to join them as he watched Valerie speed up to the impossibly tall ghost.

Demois was laughing, waiting for Danny to wake up as he held him. It was much more fun to suck the energy out of him if he were awake to scream. Something suddenly hit him in the side of his head and he turned, his red eyes narrowing as he dropped Sam to swat at whatever had hit him, like one would with a mosquito.

Valerie ducked the hand that was swung at her, before speeding down to Sam. "Hang on, Sam!" the Red Huntress called, "I'm coming!"

Valerie caught Sam just before she hit the ground and flew her over to Tucker and the others. The fall had caused her to wake up. Tucker ran over to the two and helped Sam find her balance. "What just happened?" Sam asked, rubbing the bleeding nicks in her skin.

"You and Danny were knocked out," Tucker explained, watching Valerie fly on her hover board back up to Demois to try and get him to drop Danny. "I convinced Val to help."

"Wow Tuck, what did you do? Woo her like you woo'd Amelia?"

Tucker rolled his eyes and took a step back from Sam, now that she had her balance. "No, I just asked her to save you and Danny, since he's my best friend and at least _half_ human,"

Sam looked up. "…Here's hoping she'll be enough to get him back on his feet."

"She won't be," Sam, Tucker, and the Fentons turned to the new voice, their gazes ripped from the battle going on above their heads.

From a rip in reality stepped Wulf, followed by herd of yeti-like ghosts. "She won't be enough alone, but with us," A large yeti with a navy blue cape and an arm made of ice said, standing next to Wulf, "Thanks to Wulf we're able to get here and help him."

"_How did you get out of prison, Wulf?"_ Sam asked, rushing over to give the wolf a hug.

The ghost smiled up at her, "_You cannot keep a wild animal imprisoned, child, you should know that."_

Sam smiled and said she did, before watching the new allies line up.

Tucker cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled up to Valerie. "Val! Vamoose!"

Valerie looked down just as the Yeti ghosts started to glow an eerie blue. Val looked desperately at Danny, who was still out and clutched in the demonic ghost's strong hand. "I can't get Danny!"

"It's okay!" Frostbite shouted up at her, "The Great One is an ice type ghost- like us, freezing will not kill him."

Valerie looked unconvinced but she quickly moved away from the poltergeist as the large ghost glared down at the Far Frozenites. "What are these pesky ghosts doing?"

"Defeating _you,_" Daniel Fenton looked up at the ghost from his position trapped in his hand- he was panicked on the inside. No one knew that his ghost half had been virtually sucked out of him, and that he was just an empty core of a human. He didn't let his fear show and he looked down at his family and friends.

Danny locked eyes with each member of his family, with Tucker and Val, and finally resting on Sam.

A wave of powerful emotions hit him as he stared at her scared eyes- realization came first. Realization that he loved her, despite everything else, he wanted to be with her. Anger; anger at not being able to tell her; to kiss her; to hold her and stroke her hair when she was upset; anger at not beign able to see her walk down the ailse and say "I do". Sadness that he was leaving her and so many others; fear at dying and losing everything he knew. And finally, love.

Danny kept his eyes on Sam as the ghosts below charged their ice powers, casting everything in a blue wave.

Danny smiled assuredly at Sam and mouthed, "I love you," before the ice crept up and encased him. His mouth was stuck forming "you" and his eyes locked on Sam's as the poltergeist's hand was removed from his body by the Yeti Ghosts.

Spider web cracks made their way through Demois' ice encased body, before bursting into tiny snowflakes.

The hand holding Danny was carefully chipped away before three Yetis grabbed the boy and started towards a portal Wulf carved.

"Wait!" Sam cried, running forward to Danny, her face wet with tears- he'd just announced his love for her! "Where are you going with him?"

"To the Far Frozen" Maddie and Jack crowded behind Sam, their faces equally worried. "He needs to be de-iced and stabilized before we can revive him."

"I'm going with you." Sam made a determined face.

"So are we," Maddie and Jack frowned at the ghosts, unsure of letting Danny out of their sight.

Frostbite looked at each of them, and then nodded. Sam, Tucker, Jack, Maddie and Jazz were granted permission to go in with them. Valerie denied going, and was escorted home by Wulf.

Danny was placed in the de-icing gel, where his carefully chipped away prison of ice was slowly melted. Eventually, Jack and Maddie had to leave for work, and Jazz stayed a little longer, before leaving. Tucker had left first to get back to his classes before too much time had passed and he flunked out.

Sam was the only one that remained. She didn't care if her grades suffered, she didn't care if her parents worried. Danny wasn't going to be left alone, no matter how often the ghosts insisted she get rest.

Sam slept on a chair next to Danny's tube. Once the ice had melted enough, the Yeti's stripped Danny down to his boxers and threw his clothes in a washer.

A Far Frozenite was almost always present, checking the gel, watching for signs of Danny's revival. When it was Frostbite, Sam would chat with him, to try to get an idea of what was happening.

* * *

><p>Frostbite drained the fluid from Danny's tank, though the human still wasn't awake. "Frostbite?" Sam started, watching as Frostbite laid Danny down on an examination table adorned with heavy blankets. "Do you remember what Demois said? That he wanted to absorb Danny's powers? Do you think it's possible he absorbed Danny's ghost power… and when you froze him, he wasn't actually connected to his ice core?"<p>

The yeti didn't answer right away as he gently attached a heart monitor to Danny, and an IV drip specifically designed to feed both his human and ghost form with vital nutrients. Why a _ghost_ would have a heart monitor, Sam didn't know.

"It's possible, as much as it pains me to say it." Frostbite finally said, turning the monitor on and waiting for it to catch Danny's heart's signal. Slowly, a _blip_ was heard followed by others. Danny was still alive.

"But I believe this comatose like state is caused from both his powers being drained, and the shock of being frozen." Frostbite turned to Sam now, "I believe his ghost half is restoring his human half. Give him time, he will recover." Sam nodded and looked at Danny, hoping he would wake up soon.

Danny eventually _did _wake up. He was groggy and confused. When he had opened his eyes, Sam had been at school. Frostbite had been there, however and had had him practice things, to make sure the freezing hadn't damaged anything important.

When Sam came back, she was greeted by a smiling Danny, who was sitting up on a small chair Frostbite had found for him. Sam had nearly burst into tears. Danny had stood and embraced her as she fought sobs of joy at seeing him awake again.

Sam and Danny returned home, where his parents were as overjoyed to see him as Sam had been.

Things gradually went back to normal. Danny and Sam finished the year at college and after some explaining to Danny's teachers, they both passed.

Everything went back to normal for Danny until one day.

Danny was in his room, _cleaning_ for once, when time froze. Danny didn't notice it until he felt a heavy weight around his neck. Looking down, he saw a cog-shaped medallion. At the same time, the halfa shivered and his ghost sense appeared. Immediately, the two rings of transformation that had become so familiar to him washed over his body, inverting his colours and bringing out Danny Phantom.

"Whose there?" Danny asked, looking around suspiciously. He didn't notice that the dust he had been sweeping had frozen in midair.

"Calm down, Daniel." A wise voice spoke and out of nowhere a hooded figure appeared. Danny watched curiously as the ghost shifted from a child, to an adult to an old man, apparently unable to hold his state for longer than a few moments. "I'm not here to hurt you, quite the opposite, in fact. My name is Clockwork. I am the Master of Time."

Danny relaxed his defensive stance, but kept his ghost form. Clockwork didn't seem to mind too much as he continued with whatever he had wanted to say. "There is a great evil coming." The ghost paused, "Or it has come, depending on how you look at it. My employers say you are a turning point to what could become the greatest disaster the Ghost Zone and human world has seen yet.

"There is tell of a powerful ghost. I have seen him and I know of his great strengths. But you, young Daniel, are the tipping point between that future, and another." Danny cocked an eyebrow at Clockwork as the purple-clad ghost told him about all this.

"There is not much I can say that will not negatively affect the time line, nor influence you, so the help I can give is limited. I can, however, tell you this will not take place within the next few months. No, it will be a few years. When, I cannot say, but I will come back and to call upon you when the time has come."

"Why say anything?" Danny asked, confused. "If this isn't going to happen for years, why would you say anything now?"

"Because, young Daniel, you must train. Train long and train hard." Child Clockwork changed into adult Clockwork as he spoke, "You and your two friends, Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley _must_ be ready for anything. You must all train until you are exhausted."

Danny swallowed nervously. He didn't like where this was going. "I will see you soon, Daniel Fenton. Sooner than you know."

And with that the mysterious ghost was gone. Danny suddenly coughed as dust floated up to his nose and he looked around. That was very odd.

Danny looked down at the medallion around his neck nervously. He really hoped that Sam, Tucker and he would be ready for whatever it was that had Clockwork so spooked.

* * *

><p>Clockwork left Danny to ponder in his room as the ghost teleported down to the Fenton's lab. There, contained under a ghost proof shield, inside of the Fenton Thermos; sat the other tipping point, safe and sound.<p>

This put the ghost's mind into motion. The Observants would not take this as proper assurance that the disaster was avoided. The sheer proximity to the other half of the equation would have their single eyes filled with dread.

But Clockwork knew better.

"Everything is as it should be," the wise ghost murmured to himself as a large clock stamped itself over his figure. The minute hand did its circuit abnormally fast and the ghost disappeared back to his lair.

Waiting for him were two of the Observants. "Did you kill the boy?" The first one asked, stepping forward.

"Don't worry," Clockwork said, already annoyed with the Obervants constant meddling. "I've taken care of things."

"And what of Plasmius?"

"He is safe within the Thermos. He is not going anywhere."

"You _left_ it there?" A look of horror passed over the Observants demeanour and Clockwork would have laughed if he didn't already foresee the consequences of doing so.

"Of course. He will not open it."

But the Observants thought differently. Anger welled up in them and caused Clockwork to smile over their simple, one-timelined minds.

"You must destroy him!" The two ghosts said at the same time, their eyes intensely watching Clockwork. "That future," They waved their hands at an active viewing portal. It showed several crushed buildings, piles of dead bodies, and fire springing up everywhere. "Must never come to pass!"

"All in due time," Clockwork said, watching the screen as one man continued to reign destruction over the crumbling city. "Daniel will perish in due time."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I have no excuses as to why this was late, aside from being in doctors appointments all day Friday and work yesterday. :'D So sorry, poppets.

Anywho. I hate this chapter. I hate this story... And yeah. :3 So it's done. The new one will have a slight delay coming out, as I'm reviewing the first few chapters. (I'm not very far into it yet...)

anyway

bye!


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